Summit goals

Identify common vision & practices applicable across state lines with potential to benefit the aquifer and Ogallala region communities over the short and long-​term

Key details

Where & when? The summit, postposted due to the Covid-​19 pandemic, will be rescheduled to take place over two days in early 2021 in Amarillo, Texas.

This event will include an evening social at the new Amarillo Sod Poodles Stadium Hodgetown clubhouse!

Please plan to attend the full event.

Who should attend?

The 2021 Ogallala Summit will bring together more than 200 water and agriculture focused stakeholders. High interest panels will serve as springboards for facilitated, thought-​provoking, and action-​oriented discussions among participants.

This event’s format has been designed to build on and expand beyond information shared & activities catalyzed by the inaugural 2018 Ogallala Aquifer Summit.

Lodging - new details to be posted ASAP

Registration

Cost to register: $100. Your registration includes lunch both days along with snacks and beverages, and refreshments during the evening social.

12:00-12:40 Kickoff keynote by John Tracy (Texas Water Resources Institute) & icebreaker at tables. “Tackling tough questions. What are the main short- and long-​term obstacles and opportunities related to advancing ag and ag water management in the region?”

12:40-2:45 Interactive Session 1 - Water: what motivates action? (panel followed by workshop) This session will showcase effective water-​management activities and partnerships underway throughout the region. Focal question: How to leverage and link local actors/​actions today in service to longer-​term, larger goals?

3:o0-5:00 Interactive Session 2 - Water + Communities (panel followed by workshop) Centering in on the pivotal and central role of farmer decision making for the region’s water future, this session will focus on gathering perspectives of different generations to refine our perspective on what it means for ag to be successful and sustainable in this region. Focal questions: What is the value of groundwater to current and future generations? What does progress in water management look like for the region?

6:30-9:00 Evening socialacross the street from the Embassy at the Hodgetown clubhouse (refreshments served + cash bar). Don’t miss this special event! A special short film screening of the film Rising Water will be followed by a panel discussion on effective ag water communications. We’ll enjoy the beautiful, new stadium clubhouse space with this relaxing opportunity for people to kick back and talk.

8:00-8:35 Day 2 welcome from David Brauer (USDA-​ARS) who will introduce our kick-​off keynote speaker for the day, NRCS Chief Matthew Lohr

8:35-9:00 Water use in the Ogallala aquifer region: who is pumping it and how has that changed over time? Presenter: Natalie Houston (USGS, Texas)

9:00-11:00 Interactive Session 3 - Water + common ground (panel followed by workshop). Many stakeholders (ag lenders, energy companies, NRCS, multi-​national companies, etc. directly benefit from and depend on how farmers manage water and manage water-​related risk on their operations. Focal question: Given the many ag-​industry related pressures that shape or influence producer decisions, how might these pressures be leveraged or modified to better support farm profitability/​productivity over the short- and long term?

12:30-1:45 Interactive Session 5- CAPSTONE WORKSHOP: We will synthesize info covered during the summit, identifying & prioritizing actions/​programs with potential to benefit the aquifer and the region’s communities if supported through increased collaboration within and across state lines.

This website is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2016-68007-25066, “Sustaining agriculture through adaptive management to preserve the Ogallala aquifer under a changing climate."